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I really like the segment with my favorite RU-vidr Ms. Schoemaker. It's so entertaining. I guess you already seen her new bike by now. Also, Jen Dunstan another woman who knows what she is talking about. I love women who really enthusiastic about bikes & knows everything else around it. Not only a poser who just stand around a bike or a car. Anyway, I didn't know that Zach is a racer? I hope RevZilla would interview a current or ex MotoGP rider next time. Maybe the good guy Danilo Petrucci who is now there in Moto America racing. I think it's exciting to know the real life behind the spot light of being a MotoGP rider like what we have saw at the Amazon Prime MotoGP Unlimited. Also, I have seen 1 of your short video when you watched the MotoGP race at COTA. Looking forward for more MotoGP or Moto 2 riders life in general content next time. She mentioned Ana Carasco & she is back in Moto3 where she came from.
The problem with Chinese BMWs and Thai Triumphs… and Vietnamese Patagonia fleece is that the consumer pays European or American prices and the companies are dodging European and American wages (and environmental regs).
Welcome to profits over principals. Public ownership of companies builds a company and economy FAST, but a focus on only profit from the people who own the shares means corners are cut. :/
The motorcycle industry is so tiny compared to appliance,steel, furniture, machine tools. There is ware the problem lies. Harley owns over 40% of the US market and produce a machine that lags behind the world in technology by at least 30 yrs. I say build a machine like the others and I’m all in but until then I’ll keep in joying MY RT.
I'll be 59 in July guys my age loved the "king of cool", Steve McQueen did more for the popularity of motorcycling in america than anyone I can think of, he was the real. I've watched The Great Escape probably 100 times and one of the reasons I ride a T100 today.
The Fonz played a major roll in my interest in motorcycles and a kid. Later on in high school it was Dr Hunter S Thompson. Fonzie rebuilt a motorcycle without his eyesight!
Another great episode! Made me think of many of my motorcycling heroes & influences. I'll start with the original, my dad! So cool riding around in the 1960's & 1970's on his Floret 2 stroke! I get my appreciation for motorcycles & cars from him. Most significantly I get my want for traveling and adventure from him. Other than dad... here goes: -Bill - met when I only had about 500 miles experience, on my beginner unfriendly 750cc I4 100hp+ Kawasaki. He guided me to get wiser before it was too late. -Tommy - Friend I met early on in riding, with whom I've ridden thousands of miles all over the country. Thanks for being on my wavelength and introducing me to the track! -Nicky Hayden - a fast rider and champion, who was, by all accounts, a nice and humble guy. I always love a story were nice guys finish first! -Ben Bostrom - fast, fun and free!!! See his Peter Starr, Motostarr interview on YT. -Ben Spies (Elbowz!) - fast and intelligent rider. I thought he would be MotoGP champion one day. I was sad when he got hurt and retired. And his Yamaha spoof videos were hysterical (with Colin) -Matt Mladin - certainly not a popular choice, but I admired his tenacity and "I'm not going to lose" attitude. Can't think of Spies without thinking of Matt. -Valentino Rossi - For his utter mastery of racing. He found ways to win even when he wasn't the fastest. And for his genuine appreciation of racing motorcycles. -Jeff Ward - MX champion. Because he was told that he was too short to race MX and win, but he proved everyone wrong. I still dream of a KX500 motard to hoon on!!! -Lyndon Poskitt - because he went from being an engineer in a cubicle, and a cardiac event before he was 40, to riding and racing Rally Raid around the world. His Dakar Malle Moto race was an incredible achievement. -Glenn Heggstad (StrikingViking on ADVrider) - for sharing his world travels and showing people that the world is not as scary or inhospitable as they thought. -Doug Wothke (RTWdoug on ADVrider) - through his multiple RTW rides he also showed the hospitality that the world has to offer. -Helge Pedersen (Globe Riders) - world traveler, and appreciator of many cultures. -Ted Simon (Jupiter's Travels) - the original RTW traveler. Before cell phones & GPS! -Elspeth Beard - One of the original women solo RTW travelers. When my 6yo daughter is old enough I will introduce her to Elpesth's story. - Jessica Maine (Jessica Binder Phd) - stunter, easy on the eyes, neuroscience Phd candidate at Los Alamos. I hope to show my daughter her story also. -Fabrizio Meoni - Dakar legend -Greg Jeffries, John McGuinness, Guy Martin - IoMTT legends to me -Kevin Cameron (Cycle World) - always enjoyed his writing -Lee Parks - riding courses and books that guided me to a higher level of riding. -Robert Pirsig - because I read it in college during a time that I needed to alter my frame of mind. -Hunter S Thompson - the edge....Song of the Sausage Creature.... exhilarating reads...
Thanks to my motorcycle heroes: the American guy in the German neighborhood we lived in during the early ‘70s who took me around the neighborhood on his cruiser on the tank when I was about 4, “CHiPs”, Evel Knievel flywheel stunt motorcycle toy, original TRON, and my younger brother who let me ride his Ninja 500 before I actually learned to ride at 39 haha. Thanks OG ‘70s American cruiser dude-I never got it out of my head or heart!
It’s great you brought up Peter Eagan. He and Kevin Cameron had a huge effect on my life. Kevin Cameron is 100% of the reason why I became a mechanical engineer. One dude’s influence in magazine articles got me to do thousands of math problems and dive into insanely difficult mechanics and materials problems because he made that connection to something I love. I’ve often wondered how many engineers that one man bred. Great show folks.
One of my heros is Gary Nixon because he gave me my first ride on a '69 Honda Four, the CB 750. I didn't even know he was out would become a famous motorcycle racer. He was just a nice guy that could see I liked his bike. Almost all of us have a hero who was the person who gave us our first ride on two wheels.... Thanks for yet another entertaining, funny, serious, meaningful, educational episode!!
Who knew that Spurgeon would be my literary guide? I think this is the 2nd or 3rd time I've listened to this podcast and had to pause, run to Amazon and buy a book based on his recommendation. "Stealing Speed" is on my "to read soon" list now. This podcast is now the one I sort all the way to the bottom of my feed when I'm out and about. Like when I'm eating, I push my favorites aside and enjoy the things I like the most, last. I also have a brand new Z400 based on his test ride and ongoing comments. It's my 4th bike, I'm not a beginner but I'm still learning and I feel like I need to broaden my experience, and get a small and light bike that I can physically dominate to learn some new skills, and also little bikes just seem fun. Of course we don't really get to test ride bikes here in the Midwest, where I am anyway, but I'm happy to report that yes, it's very fun to ride, it just took me a couple hundred miles to get used to not shifting until I get to like 8000 RPM. My previous bikes were a 1973 CB350 (back in college), then a CTX700 (VERY low revving), and then a VStrom 650, so the high revving is something I have to learn. The thing I really need to learn is off-road stuff but as far as I can tell there aren't any public areas that allow motorcycling within about 150 miles of me.
I’m probably the outlier being that I’m an American, but Irish road racing really caught my attention growing up. Those guys were blue collar guys a lot of the time going out and doing things on two lane mountain roads that were just unbelievable. And the family legacies like the Dunlops and others were just really amazing to see. Or the age range of some of the riders, and seeing guys like John McGuinness being competitive into their forties was just amazing as a young American to see. That gets my goat way more than motogp or any dirt bike stuff. Those riders all seem super down to earth and approachable. Like you could definitely find Guy Martin in an Irish pub having a pint somewhere and he’d sit down and talk bikes with you.
I love your book recommendations. Spurge speaks the truth so hard about the zen of motorcycle maintenance. I was pumped to listen to it the first time but instead of getting pumped about working on bikes, I had to battle my own mental issues as This grown man losses his mind and finally came around to an appreciation of quality.
Peter Egan! I’m so glad you mentioned him. I loved reading his columns in Cycle World and Road & Track when I was growing up. I believe I was influenced by his love for British cars, European motorcycles and road trips. I own 3 British cars and 1 Euro motorcycle and road trip as often as possible.
I got to meet Stefy Bau at Gatorback before her injury when I was a kid. She was such a nice person. I kept her autographed poster on my wall until I moved out of my parents' house.
I have always loved motorcycles and knew I would have at least one in my lifetime. No real influences or heroes but big thanks to my old friend Don and his then girlfriend for teaching me to ride on her Rebel 250 on the back roads of rural Pennsylvania. While Long Way Round was a very different take on motorcycling then American Chopper I think both were just as influential and neither in a negative way. The grunting ape routine of American Chopper was par for the course for TV at that time, think that was the height of shows like Jerry Springer. I never felt like American Chopper portrayed all motorcyclists in a bad light but it did showcase, and probably inflated, the Teutuls', family issues. For me, shows like The Great Biker Build-Off, Motorcycle Mania, and yes American Chopper only served to fuel my interest in motorcycles. It was great to see these guys pushing the limits of creativity and design. One of the main differences between LWR and AC was that AC had to keep you coming back for another season. American TV shows tend to drag on for so many seasons it seems the only reason they keep doing it is to keep doing it (Yes I'm talking to you Walking Dead)! Long Way Round didn't have to worry about a season 2, 3, 4, etc. so they were able to make the show they wanted. LWR was here's Ewan and Charlie on a grand tour of the world take it or leave it. Both shows sparked a craze in motorcycling and while the chopper craze died out with a slumping economy and driving through town to get to the local Starbucks isn't taking the "Long Way Round" both got more people on two wheels, and that, to quote Paul Jr. "cus at the end of the day" that's what the important part each show was, my opinion anyway.
Kind of answers Jen`s question too, I'd say a positive influence on TV and as what I can remember as being one of the only exposures to motorcycles I had as kid, officers Frank Poncherello and John Baker. Sitting on the edge of the footstool holding a cut up broomhandle thankfully made M&D say, maybe we should get him a dirtbike....still have that bike too.
Barry Sheene was the rider that ignited my love of watching motorcycle racing . Later on Ewen and Charley inspired me to own a Boxer engined BMW .Took a very long while to get one ...but.worth the wait !
Like Spurg, Peter Egan was a big influence in my desire to ride motorcycles. But the biggest influences for me were Dave Despain and Freddie Spencer. Before Wind Tunnel on Speed, Dave Despain hosted MotorWeek Illustrated on TBS every Sunday from 1982. Dave was the first to prominently feature 250 and 500cc GP racing highlights in the US and what got my attention was the 1985 double championship season by Freddie Spencer. From that point forward I’ve been hooked on motorcycles to this day.
I don't have any motorcycle heroes myself, but if I were to pick some inspirational people I'd highlight Jocelin Snow and Noraly from Itchy Boots. Jocelin is barely over 5 foot, but she absolutely rips that giant R1250 around better than anybody else. Noraly, who's been on this podcast before, rides all around the world. She's somewhere out riding in Central America now on her 6th globetrotting trip.
100% , imagine being here in Scotland, watching those big old 4 cylinder beasts being lowsided every week, while riding a 250 honda that was pathetic by comparison. And riding in sunshine! Dream on :) It was compulsory viewing, to see bikes on the tv was so rare.
Definitely Malcom Smith! And it's thanks to the Highside Lowside podcast that I was able to get his autobiography. That book is great, with awesome photos as well. Can't thank the podcast enough, not just for entertaining me during work hours, but opening me up to new things like that book!
I loved Peter egan so much. I also loved Kevin Cameron's ability to explain engineering concepts so that even i could understand them. His 2004 article "Bathtub physics 101" was a touchstone article that stuck with me till present. What a bunch of great dudes.
I grew up in a two wheel family. Both my parents rode bikes, my older brother rode, and I raced dirt bikes as kid till I was about 15. I miss those days. As adult, I haven't been able to get back to riding. I always wanted to go on one more bike trip with my dad. Sadly he passed away and I wasn't able to do that. My brother was able to scatter his ashes at DIS where he used to race. Growing up watching On Any Sunday, guys Steve Mcqueen, Mert Lawell were the COOLEST.
Mine first influence was my dad who bought me my first Rupp mini bike at 8 or 9. Then he bought me a more modern Rupp scrambler at about 12. But as far as street riding goes? I guess just reading Cycle magazines back in the in the 70s. I always knew I wanted to ride on the street even though I had zero friends or family that road street bikes. Now I am nearing 400,000 lifetime miles.
I was surprised no one mentioned Easy Rider. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance isn't a horrible book but don't read it with any expectation of learning about motorcycles.
Long before i got into bikes, i loved his car magazine stuff. I only caught the tail end of egans motorcycle career, guess i should buy all three leanings.
Peter Egan 's Side Glances and Leanings were the go-to articles when I was a paper subscriber back in the day. Loved his writing. I made it through Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance on my second attempt. The travel-log portions were interesting, but the dip into the metaphysics of quality was completely lost on me, possibly because I have a science and engineering background.
I think one of the worst influences on motorcycling are all the RU-vid channels built around fear mongering with crashes and idiotic riding. No one thinks motorcycling is not dangerous. But what we don't have enough of (coincidentally) is balance. One of the best influences for me is Garey Cooper on RU-vid. Inspiration as a motorcyclist and as a general great guy.
The movie Larry Crowne... This will make you want to buy a scooter. This is the last movie I can recall being produced that humanized riding on two wheels. Everyone knows a scooter is a gateway drug to motorcycling! Some say this was a bad Tom Hanks movie. I think it was endearing and inspiring. Kenny Roberts was my inspiration. I remember watching him on a Yamaha 2 stroke 750 playing in the turns with two Honda 'million dollar babies' that were kept secret and uncrated at the race. Two 1,000cc four stroke Hondas that kept having to pitstop for rear tire changes. Meanwhile, Kenny just doing Kenny... Showing them that their million dollar bikes and secrecy didn't mean shit.
Started riding at 13 (my cousin 50cc and later secretly took my father's transalp) but my parents... who rode motorcycles... forbid me to ride! So I mostly rode secretly offroad and eventually four years ago, i started to take my license and got really sick during that time and now I'm back in Switzerland, my home country and back to ground zero! Thinking of getting a BMW G 310 GS at the end of the year so I can pass my license here!
Spurge, check out Zen and Now by Mark Richardson. You may enjoy it since it is a travel book where he follows the Pirsig road trip. Obviously will have some references to the philosophy of Zen but it will go into some in-depth stories that really shine a light on what a nut case Pirsig was.
Hey! I appreciate the great content you provide on RU-vid and your podcasts. You guys definitely helped me make the decision to become a rider through sharing your expertise and also through your enthusiasm for motorcycles. This is my 3rd year riding on two wheels. I took the MSF course to start, bought a Buell blast which I rode in 2020 and the majority of 2021, but then I upgraded to a Honda NC700x last October. It is a much more refined bike - I love the fact that it is fuel injected, has a gas gauge, and a frunk. Here's my issue: I can't get use to it. The buell was easier to ride and initially I thought it was because it was lighter, but now I'm starting to think it's because it was lower. I like to tell people I'm 5'9", but I'm more 5'8" and a half. Do you think a shorter bike would be better for someone my size? If I need to back into a spot or something, it's so difficult due to the weight and the fact that I'm more on the balls of my feet as opposed to flat footing it. You know what I mean? Is this something that I will get used to? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
I'm listening to s4e7 again and Jen actually gave some good advice about this. Who knows maybe I'll get used to it, but maybe because most of my riding is stop and go, it isn't the best bike for me.
I am a fair bit older than the three of you and probably most of your viewers, but I have to mention Gordon Jennings as one of the most influential people in motorcycling. Growing up in the 60s and early 70s, my first three bikes were two strokes and the science that Gordon brought to the masses through his Cycle articles remains to this day. I can’t say Gordon influenced me to become an engineer, and I chose electrical rather than mechanical, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading his articles as I was growing up. He not only was technical astute, but he placed great emphasis on good writing skills. To this day, I pride myself on not only being technically competent and correct, but also on writing well and using correct grammar and spelling. I was amazed when I just checked Wikipedia and found no entry for Gordon. Very sad.
Wild Hogs is probably the one film I know that puts a positive light on motorcycling. Kinda highlights both sides where you can escape your daily life and use it as a get away, and then you have this biker gang which kinda highlights theres some bad apples within the motorcycle community.
When I was 11 or 12 some dude gave me a ride on the back of his Norton and that was it. I had the bug. After that, I seriously eyeballed the local guys on their Honda 90s and Honda 50s in town and when one of them showed up on a Suzuki X6 Hustler I was like, 14 and DYING to get my first bike. Had to wait until I was 18, though, but had the passion from age 11 cuz of that unknown dude.
Dainese has raised their prices on many of their products due to supply chain issues. I rode in to say hi and order some new cheek pads and walked in on them increasing the prices on a lot of the in-store stuff. For example, the Super Speed 3 went from $800 to $850, and the Storm 2 rain gear has gone up as well. I think a lot of it is immediately due to the unfortunate situation in Ukraine since Dainese has a manufacturing factory there, but it's also probably compounded by the less recent rise in crude oil prices affecting plastics and a ton of other oil-derived goods, including as we all know, gasoline/petrol... Hopefully this all ends sooner rather than later for the sake of all suffering due to the war on all sides, especially as the world is finally in the final stage of COVID...
Geeze Spurgeon, some of your history is the same as mine. Also lived in Nashville, also watched the Long Way series while living there, also music (I work in the industry), you worked at Castle I bought my first Triumph from Castle Powersports. You rode your Bonneville across the US, I've one upped you and done it a few times, including to the top of Alaska ;-). I think we'd get along!
I couldn’t finish zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. I knew it wasn’t about “motorcycle maintenance” going in, but I had heard it was a good read. It is not! Don’t waste your time, and don’t gift it to the motorcyclist I your life they aren’t likely to enjoy it. It is a masterpiece of philosophical drivel. Good show Thanks
Listening while riding down to Julian. And then hear that the book my neighbor gave I brought to read at camp is not great. 😂 ZATAoMM. Might be watching Ozark on the iPad instead.
Good story about your parents, Zack! I served in the Peace Corps in west africa from 2010-12 and we were specifically banned from riding motorcycles! Just government issued Treks for us ;)
I recently went to a motorcycle shop I was looking for a Honda T125 hunter. They had a mark up with a dock fee licensing fee shipping fee of $1000 now I see the Chinese motorcycles can be delivered directly to your door. I’m afraid that if motorcycle shops continue to stab people the Chinese are gonna gain one hell of a foot hold. Because we all know it doesn’t take more than an hour to set up a motorcycle out of a crate. I’m just very frustrated I even said I can take care of getting the thing licensed I live right by the DMV but they wouldn’t hear of it. A very souring experience
I've got to bring up a great book and moto-author as well here, especially considering the commenter from Iran. Lois Pryce rode a TTR across Iran, solo, and wrote a very good book about the experience called Revolutionary Ride.
To add to negative influences for motorcycling. Why is it every time a movie has a motorcycle, it has to crash spectacularly and explode. Of course the average person is going to think it’s dangerous. In the films, a motorcyclist can’t ride a bike for 2 minutes without high siding or getting hit by a car.
Exactly this ^^ Or when they need need to speed off to get away from a baddie so the hero pops a massive wheelie all the down the street - drives me nuts. That, and endlessly changing up a gear duirng chases, some bikes appear to have 30 gears in them!
I think Keanu Reeves is famous American actor and moto enthusiast who started a motorcycle company brand. I am not sure why he did not get a mention. He is who I think of right after lord Rossi.
Nothing wrong with some Thai made motorcycles I’ve owned two Hondas made in Thailand and I’ve never had issues with them. For me my motorcycle hero’s have been the professional racers from Honda in the 90’s both on and off road
I understand that you don't mention current influencers in the motorcycling world (like Lyndon Poskitt, Noraly, Joe Pichler, Margot Flügel-Anhalt, Ryan Kluftinger, or yourselves for that matter) as the scope of their work for the community isn't fully clear yet. That might be a whole 'nother podcast though ;) But how dare you not mention Guy Martin?? His influence on many people around the world is huge! Love the podcast though, listening to stories about sidecar racing Spurgeons dads Vstrom get me pretty dizzy whenever I get a chance to listen to you guys the correct way :D
My motorcycle hero was .........the one and only .........BARRY SHEENE. Great motorcycle rider and as funny as f*ck !!!! He used to do a old after shave advert with henry cooper (a great old time boxer ).
I didn't know you guys had a podcast and that's really nice to know I could talk a lot about how I got into motorcycle I honestly it's a great thing that I got into thank you
To the comment on the Russian made Ural, Has there been word of any issues with the Russian owned MV Agusta brand? Also could Triumph's move to return some production back to Hinkley UK from Thailand, be them reading possible world events such as the potential threat of aggression from China in this area of the world?
Lmao “triumph quality” I spent more time and money fixing my speed triple than I did riding it. I was so upside down in the damn thing I traded it on a Honda grom…..
